Creeper lounger



p 1964 c. E. MERRIOTT 3,148,892

CREEPER LOUNGER Filed June 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

W&M

P 1954 c. E. MERRIOTT CREEPER LOUNGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17,1963 FIG... 3

FIG.

United States Patent Office 3,148,892 Patented Sept. 15., 1964 3,148,892CREEPER LOUNGER Clyde E. Merriott, 6102 22nd St., Lubbock, Tex. FiledJune 17, 1963, Ser. No. 288,302 6 Claims. (Cl. 28.9-32.6)

This invention relates to improvements in the field of mechanicscreepers and more particularly to creepers for aircraft and large autotruck use.

The hands, arms, and shoulders are generally accepted as the mechanicsTools in Trade. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to makework more accessible to these Tools of Trade or put same in a betterposition to work.

A further object of this invention is to provide a strong, comfortablecreeper from which to perform duties, hence the name creeper lounger.There have been other creepers built with a hinged backrest and severaldifferent positions. This invention, however, provides also a hingedseat that tilts automatically as the backrest is raised. This insuresagainst the natural sliding motion of the body; that is it will hold themechanic firmly in position.

Still another object is to provide nine different settings to hold arnechanics shoulders in positions ranging from approximately six totwenty-six inches above the floor.

Another feature is the provision of a large headrest cushion which canbe adjusted for the height of the mechanics body.

Still further objects are to achieve the above with a device that issturdy, compact, durable, simple, versatile, and reliable, yetinexpensive and easy to manufacture and operate.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects, uses, andadvantages thereof will clearly appear from the following descriptionand from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are notnecessarily to the same scale, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the creeper showing the backrest andseat members in the extended position.

FIG. 2 is a side view of creeper in full raised position.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of seat-backrest assembly detached from theframe for clarity.

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the main frame embodying the seat adjustmentserrations.

Frame 1 is built of one long piece of angle iron. The corners of theinside of the angle are cut to fit flush when bent to make a squarecorner, and are welded on the inside. The frame is rectangular in shape.The frame 1 forms a flat bottom surface. Attached to the frame are fourconventional creeper casters 2, one on each corner being attached withfour bolts and nuts 3.

Attached to the inside of the frame on one end along each side will betwo serrated or notched angle iron metal pieces 4, hereafter callednotched adjustment having eight notches which extend upward from thelower portion of the frame, each attached by one bolt and nut 3 of theaforementioned casters 2, and one bolt and nut 5 attaching the otherend. These notched adjustment pieces 4 extend from approximately two toseventeen inches from one end.

Attached to the inside edge of the frame and on the opposite end fromthe notched adjustment are two rollers 6, one on each side, each beingattached with one bolt and nut 7 in like positioned holes in frame 1,the holes being drilled so as to'position the upper side of each roller6 level with the top of frame 1. The three holes on each side areone-half inch apart for adjustment and are positioned in line.

One hole is drilled in each side of the frame 1 for attachingseat-backrest assembly 8, FIG. 3, approximately six inches toward thecenter of frame 1 from the center hole for roller bolt 7 andfive-eighths inch from the bottom edge of the frame.

The seat-backrest assembly 8, FIG. 3, is constructed with five plywoodpanels with side rails of hardwood. The seat 9 will have a piano hinge24 attached to the rear upper edge with a light piece of metal on thebottom of the seat forming backing strip 13 with bolts and nuts 20.

Hardwood rails 11 are cut with an approximate 45 degree angle on eachinside end. The other ends are cut perpendicular and the corners andupper edges are rounded so as not to leave sharp corners for themechanic to bump against. They are attached on the top of each side ofthe seat 9. Wear strips 14 made of light metal are underneath the seat9. Bolts and nuts 19 extend through each end of rails 11, seat 9, andwear strips 14.

Backrest 10 is attached to the other side of the piano hinge 24 in thesame manner as the seat 9. Hardwood rails 12 for the backrest 10 aremade in same manner as for seat 9 except longer. They are attached withbolts and nuts 19 which serve a dual purpose, the outer two on each sideattaching metal leveling strips 15 underneath each side of the backrest10. The center bolt 19 underneath each side of the backrest 1i) attachesadjustment rod end brackets 16-which in turn attaches adjustment rod 17which is a steel rod shaped into a square U and has each end inserted inthe brackets 16. The other two bolts 19 on each side of backrest 10attach the backrest ltl to frame bracket 18 made of angle iron, one flatsurface of the bracket having two holes to attach to the backrest It),the other flat side being perpendicular to and extending below andparallel with each side of backrest 10 and having both ends cut at anangle. There is a hole near the piano hinge 24 for attaching theseat-backrest assembly 8 to the frame 1 with bolt 21.

On the extreme top end of backrest 1% is mounted large plastic orleather covered cushioned headrest 23 which is attached with two screwspassing through from underneath the backrest in either of three pairs ofholes 25 in the backrest.

The bolts 21 are the only attaching points for seatbackrest assembly 8to the frame 11). They act as pivot points. The rollers 6 are pivots forthe seat 9., The metal leveling strips 15 rest on the frame .1 in fullex tended position. The piano hinge 24 is the pivot point between theseat 9 and backrest 10.

When the backrest 10 is raised, the hinge'24 tilts down, dropping therear part of the seat 9. The seat 9 in turn riding on rollers 6 whichare stationary in any of three positions, will force the seat 9 up infront. A mechanic t sitting on seat-backrest assembly 3 will not haveany sliding tendencies.

The aforementioned three positions of the rollers 6 are obtained byremoving the attaching bolts of said rollers and reinstalling them inanother pair of matched holes in the frame 1. This adjustment willgovern the degree of tilt of the seat 9 in relation to the backrest 10.

It will be. noted that the frame 1 is over of the combined length of theseat 9 and backrest 10. This is so that when the backrest is elevated asseen in FIG. 2, that the creeper as a whole will be stable. It will beunderstood that as a mechanic works that he will exert leveragepressure, thus he will be using the backrest 10 as a platform to exertpressure against the material he is working upon, so therefore it isnecessary that he have as large a frame 1 as possible with which towork. I

It will be apparent that the embodiment shown is only exemplary and thatvarious modifications can be made in construction, materials, andarrangement within the scope'of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A creeper lounger comprising in combination (a) a rectangular frame,

(b) said frame having a caster at each of the four corners thereof,

(c) said frame formed of angle iron,

(d) said angle iron having a leg extending horizontal and a legextending vertically upright from the horizontal leg,

(e) abackrest,

(f) a seat,

() the seat hinged to the backrest,

(h) the backrest pivoted to the frame adjacent to where the backrest ishinged to the seat,

(1') rollers attached to the frame below the seat,

(i) wear strips attached to the underside of the seat.

(It) said wear strips of the seat riding upon said rollers,

(1) means for maintaining the backrest in an elevated,

angular relationship to the frame;

(m) so arranged and constructed that when the backrest is elevated, thehinge connection between the backrest and the seat is depressed and therollers elevate the forward end of the seat.

2. The invention as defined in claim l with the addition (n) a pluralityof holes extending through the backrest,

(0) a headrest,

(p) said headrest having bolts extending through some but not all of theholes in the backrest whereby, by moving the bolts to different holes,the position of the headrest may be adjusted.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the length of the frameis over 90% of the combined length of the seat and backrest so that whenthe backrest is elevated that the frame provides a stable platformtherefor.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for maintainingthe backrest in an elevated angular position with respect to the frameincludes an U-shaped rod pivoted to the backrest.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein:

(n) reinforcing rails extending along the longitudinal edges of the seatand backrest,

(0) the hinge connection between the seat and the backrest is a pianohinge on the topsides and there is a metal backing strip attached to theundersides of the seat and backrest to reinforce the structure at this(s) pivot bolts extending through the frame into the frame bracket. *6.A creeper lounger comprising in combination (a) a rectangular frame,

(b) said frame having a caster at each of the four corners thereof,

(0) said frame formed of angle iron,

(0!) said angle iron having a leg extending horizontal and a legextending vertically upright from the horizontal leg,

(e) a backrest,

(f) a plurality of holes extending through the backrest,

(g) a headrest,

(It) said headrest having bolts extending through some, but not all ofthe holes in the backrest whereby by moving the bolts to differentholes, the position of the headrest may be adjusted,

(i) a seat,

(j) the length of the frame being over of the combined length of theseat and backrest so that when the backrest is elevated that the frameprovides a stable platform therefor,

(k) the seat and backrest constructed of panels with (l) reinforcingrails along the longitudinal edges there- (m) the seat hinged to thebackrest,

(n) the hinge connection between the seat and the backrest being a pianohinge on the top thereof and (0) metal backing strips below the backrestand seat adjacent the hinge,

(p) the backrest pivoted to the frame adjacent to where the backrest ishinged to the heat,

(q) the backrest is hinged to the frame by frame brackets which arebolted to the backrest by bolts which extend through the frame bracketand the reinforcing rails,

(s) rollers attached to the frame below the seat,

(I) wear strips attached to the seat below the seat,

(14) said wear strips of the seat riding upon said rollers,

(v) means for maintainingthe backrest in an elevated,

angular relationship to the frame;

(w) said means for maintaining the backrest in an elevated angularposition with respect to the frame including an U-shaped rod pivoted tothe backrest,

(x) the U-shaped rod pivoted to the backrest by brackets, and

(y) bolts holding the rod brackets to the backrest extending through thereinforcing rails for reinforcing,

(2) so arranged and constructed that when the backrest is elevated, thehinge connection between the backrest and the seat is depressed and therollers elevate the forward end of the seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,218,519 Bradley Mar. 6, 1917 2,208,945 Miller July 23, 1940 2,509,934Murray May 30, 1950 2,663,029 Whitley et al. a- Dec. 22, 1953 2,710,758Stettner June 14, 1955 3,049,376 Rosenthal Aug. 14, 1962

1. A CREEPER LOUNGER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION (A) A RECTANGULAR FRAME,(B) SAID FRAME HAVING A CASTER AT EACH OF THE FOUR CORNERS THEREOF, (C)SAID FRAME FORMED OF ANGLE IRON, (D) SAID ANGLE IRON HAVING A LEGEXTENDING HORIZONTAL AND A LEG EXTENDING VERTICALLY UPRIGHT FROM THEHORIZONTAL LEG, (E) A BACKREST, (F) A SEAT, (G) THE SEAT HINGED TO THEBACKET, (H) THE BACKREST PIVOTED TO THE FRAME ADJACENT TO WHERE THEBACKREST IS HINGED TO THE SEAT, (I) ROLLERS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME BELOWTHE SEAT, (J) WEAR STRIPS ATTACHED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE SEAT, (K)SAID WEAR STRIPS OF THE SEAT RIDING UPON SAID ROLLERS, (L) MEANS FORMAINTAINING THE BACKREST IN AN ELEVATED, ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP TO THEFRAME; (M) SO ARRANGED AND CONSTRUCTED THAT WHEN THE BACKREST ISELEVATED, THE HINGE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BACKREST AND THE SEAT ISDEPRESSED AND THE ROLLERS ELEVATE THE FORWARD END OF THE SEAT.